Justines Asthma pages

House hold mould could cause people with asthma to develope severe forms of the disease a recent study has claimed in France. Researchers have found a strong link between people who are sensitive to the type of mould that can sometimes be found on plants and paint work at home, and those who have life threatening asthma attacks.They believe that mould, more than any other asthma trigger (cats, dust etc) may be responsible for triggering severe attacks. Their finding highlighted the need for people with the disease to make sure their homes where well ventilated and mould free. More than 1,100 people where examined with asthma in this study.  

Each person in the study was tested to see if their asthma got worse with a number of allergens. These included household mould, dustmites, grass and cats. The study found that three out of four people were sensitive to at least one allergen with grass and dust mites topping the list. Two out of there people were sensitive to two or more allergens. Almost one in five was allergic to plant fungas or mould that grows on dead plants, damp wood, damp walls, paintwork and old food. Those who were sensitive to these moulds where likely to have a severe form of asthma. There was not a similar link between pollen or cats as you would expect it to be.

Writing in a British medical journal suggested that this could may be why smaller mould spores can reach the lower airways were they cause most damage. In addition, these spores are present in the homes were people spend their most time. The authors called on Doctors to make people aware and the risks involved. The people with asthma who are allergic to airbourne moulds should be educated to pay careful attention to symptoms and comply with treatments they said. Chief medical officer of the asthma campaign has warmly welcomed the study. He said the report could be a very important study for people with asthma and what has been demonstrated is an association between mould sensitisation and severe asthma. He also said that we cannot be certain that this is the cause but it might be. What is now needed is a study that should be in two parts; firstly looking to see if a reduced exposure to moulds prevented those with asthma moving to the severe asthma category, and secondly seeing if reducing expososure to moulds by those with severe asthma improves control of the disease. (I hope it's good news) 

Senitisation to moulds have been suggested as a risk factor fo life threatening asthma. In a recent study ten out of the eleven people all tested positive on allergy skin prick test. Also reported was twenty out of thirtyseven people admitted to intensive care with asthma attacks had a positive result on skin testing for one or more fungal allergens. There is definately a clear assoiation between exposure to moulds and life threatening asthma attacks in all asthmatic patients.

It is estimated that mould is present in around 3.2 million homes in the UK. The effects of mould on fitness for human occupation have largely been associated with dampness, odour, humidity. Mould may affect the occupants health by inducing anxiety. Also that people with asthma and allergies may be affected by long term exposure to high consentrations of airbourne mould spores. Heath issues associated with mould are, immunological reactions and excess exposure worsens asthma, bronchitis, hayfever and allergies. Mould can also cause toxic affects including nausea, headaches and eye irration. Mould can also cause infectious disease like aspergillosis which effects the lungs also. People should keep their homes well maintained and any water damages repaired to stop mould growing. Mould spores are airbourne and so small that our noses do not filter them out so the are inhaled into our lungs.